- Samsung’s battery division, Samsung SDI, and General Motors, have completed a deal, worth $3.5bn, to create an EV battery gigafactory in the US state of Indiana.
- The factory, which will begin production in 2027, will initially begin with a production capacity of 27GWh – expected to rise to 36GWh, with later expansions.
- The later rise will put it on par with one of GM’s Ohio-based Ultium cell factory, which has an annual capacity of approximately 35GWh.
These plans have been in the pipeline for over a year, but the finalisation of the agreement also shows that production is starting a year later, as it was originally expected to begin operation in 2026, under older plans. The plant will help create over 1,600 jobs in the region, and not only produce cylindrical cells, but also new, high-performance prismatic cells, set to be used in upcoming electric vehicles from General Motors. The new factory will mark just one of several battery factories General Motors is operating in a joint venture, with two other factories under the Ultium Cells project: a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution.
General Motors CEO, Mary Barra, commented on the completion of the deal:
The Samsung SDI joint venture is the latest example of GM’s commitment to driving innovation in America. The EV market and GM sales will continue to grow as more customers experience our EVs, the charging infrastructure builds out and we expand into more segments.
Samsung SDI CEO, Yoon-ho Choi, added:
“Building on last year’s partnership with GM, the No. 1 automaker in North America, we have established a premium battery production hub to lead the U.S. EV market. Samsung SDI will make best efforts to support GM enhance its leadership in the EV market with the company’s PRiMX battery products featuring ‘Super Gap’ technology.”
